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A well travelled road...

I read a verse today, on someone else's blog that I know I must have read before, but it hit me today...and I do not remember ever reading it before.

This is is Psalm 84:5

How blessed all those in whom you live,
Whose lives become roads you travel.

Isn't that awesome. I want my life to be a road well travelled by God. That his footprints and presence is all of it.

Is all over my children's lives as well.

My heart is full this morning....in my adoption agency "family" many of the four families got awesome news this morning that they have passed court, and now their Ethiopian little ones are theirs. As I read blogs and experiences of many of these families...my heart was just full. What God is doing...and what he does..through us. Through families...through children and through adoption.

Walk all over our liferoad Lord.

Get out the Hankies...

Ok, so... after you check to see if you have shaved your legs...:) read on.

Be honest...did you get teary eyed over this video clip!? My cousin Rhonda sent it to me, and sure enough, I did. I noticed the male newscaster said it was "disturbing" that the female newscaster was crying.

But I was too.

Why is that? (And why would it be disturbing?)

I was thinking, our souls are made for connection, for significant belonging...love and recognition. Someone that gives a darn whether we exist or not and is happy to see us.

I mentioned I was reading the book The Shack...(you HAVE to go read it)...one thing in it that hit me was relationship of expectancy vs expectation.

With expectation, we have these ideas of what the other person (or creature) in the relationship should do, how they should react to us..etc.

Expectancy is more a living verb. We enjoy them, love them, and connect with them with expectancy...what will happen, what will be our interaction and then just see what happens, letting it be living and fresh and real, rather than some rules in our head of what should be.

This applies to our relationship with each other (humans, or furry) as well as our relationship with God.

When I EXPECT God to perform according to my ideas and preferences, I am often confused or dissappointed. But if my relationship with God is one of expectancy...of discovering who He is and just enjoying my time with Him...then a have a living relationship that bring joy, surprizes, comfort, love....belonging.

So go ahead and enjoy the video...and have no shame for tears, or laughs,

Think of our Lion of Judah greeting us in heaven this way...how awesome.

Busy...

I have been so busy, I have not had time to write. God is good and faithful, ever lovin g to us. Mary had her fifth birthday, a tinkerbell party (although we sometimes call Mary "Stinkerbell" :) I will post photos soon.

She got what she wanted: a sword, a flashlight, a baseball mitt and a fan that squirts water! My little princess. :) She has now moved her sights onto a big girl bike she wants at Walmart, pink. She learned to ride Anthony's bike, with training wheels in one day, to prove she is ready! Guess Santa may be bringing a bike this year!

We have less than a month until school starts! Yea....we still have a week at the beach to look forward to the week before school, but I LOVE fall, and even though it is not fall at the end of August, going back to school makes it FEEL like it is fall in the air...

Well, I am off in a dash..more later.

PS> Taddy took the training wheels off his bike to day...saw Nick doing dirt bike "extreme" and it totally motivated him. Mary wanted to know why she could not go with her trike.

Been off for 4 days from work, plus two days of the weekend. I go back tomorrow....ughithus@! :) It is time though. :)

One day...while driving home

Make a Smilebox slideshow

When love takes you in...

Someone's Child....God's child.....

This was written by Brooke http://faithandfatecollide.blogspot.com/ on her recent trip to Ethiopia, accompanying a friend in bringing home her daughter. It touched my heart....I wanted to share it:

"A boy came my way with a wooden box. I asked him if he could clean my shoes. It was more to help the child than due to the filth of my shoes. I honestly didn't even know what to do now that I had inlisted his services. He told me to sit on the step of a shop. That didn't seem right since obviously no one could get in or out, but I did as directed. He picked up my sneaker and placed it on the box. Dipped a sponge into murky water which he carried in a yellow, plastic pail that was once filled with vegetable oil, and began to wash my shoe. I quickly told him it was good enough and he moved to the next shoe.

Out of no where, the police woman came at us. She struck him in the back with her open hand and his body jerked. I sat straight and stern- in my most serious voice told her that I had ASKED for his services as she then walked off.

The boy cocked his head sideways and his eyes met mine. His heart was broken. His spirit shattered... What could I do?

I felt so terrible for him. Like most all of the other boys who clean shoes, he does it to pay for his food, school, and school books. They usually live on the floor of a nearest relative and their parents are usually deceased. He is trying all he knows to do when he should be playing and not worrying about such grown up matters. And then to be beaten and told his efforts are of no value- Just wrong. Sick.

I overpaid him. Way overpaid him. I didn't know what more one could possibly do. He nodded his head in thanks and scurried away in order to avoid another lashing from the police. I took a moment and prayed for him..."

...and one day they'll be grown.

The Season to Play (by me)

lego warriors
pj tops
ragged shoes left....where?
pink flip flops
gold fish spilled
puppy ate it...who cares?

books and cars
stuffed animal wars
colored drawings of dragon toes
where's my ball
under the couch
it's not there, I know

Don't clean up
it looks just fine
to us they always say
put down that broom
no need to mop
come on, come here and play

cereal bowls
lucky charms
floating with fruit loops
holes in socks
no matching tops
is that puppy poop?

Sunday funnies
read and laugh
let's read them once again
wrestling til
we all get mad
then laugh, and start again

Don't clean up
it looks just fine
to us they always say
put down that broom
no need to mop
come on, come here and play

Read a book
sing a song
dance to a funny drum beat
hotdogs are good
mac n cheese
no fancy food we'll eat

bedtime stories
five more minutes
don't forget to tuck us in
nightie night sleep tight
sweet dreams and prayers
tomorrow we'll do it again

Don't clean up
it looks just fine
just rest and savor the day
no need to sweep
no need to mop
this is the season to play


* * * * * * * *
..."how many days pass in semi-unawareness -- a kind of busy oblivion...I'm reinspired to value both the mundane and the magical moments. Some days are crowded with details, and others with sweet hours of peace and beauty, but whatevery they hold, I don't want to miss a thing." Grant, Amy; (2007) Mosaic, Pieces of My Life So Far.


I read Amy's words at lunch, and they resonated in my soul. My house full of my beloved children, and all that comes with that..and I get caught up, at times, in the crowded details, in busy oblivion. These little lively miracles are dancing and sparkling all around me, and I am focusing on corralling the chaos, rather than reveling in the life. ...and one day, they'll be grown. WIth lives of their own, homes of their own, children of their own. (Inspired by a cartoon in the Sunday funnies, I told Nick he needs to make me a coupon for a gift that says I get to live with him when he is grown. I will save it and redeem it in about 15 years or so.)

Last night, my funny boys put on their pjs, stuffed them full of other pjs, wrapped blankets around their pj-bustled bottoms, and sang, "put on your Sunday clothes and...." can't remember the words...from Hello Dolly. Cracked me up. Seeing they got my attention, for the next 45 minutes, they dressed in various configuration of over-stuffed jammies and did antics for their momma. :) Funny boys.

Savoring their liveliness and silliness.... one day they'll be grown.

"Life is a messy miracle." (from the movie "Swamp Thing.")

King of Glory...guard our hearts...

The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,
the world and those we dwell therein.
For He has founded it upone the seas
and established it upon the rivers.

Who shall stand in His holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul (emotions, thoughts, desires, affections) to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully. (even to deceive our selves or allow ourselves to be deceived)

He will receive blessings from the Lord and righteousness (right standing with God) from the God of his salvation.
Such is th generation who seek him (who of necessity require Him)
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Lift up your heads O gates!
Andbe lifted up, O ancient doors
that the King of glory may come in
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and might, the Lord mighty in battle!

Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of Glory? the Lord of hosts, HE IS the King of Glory. (Psalm 24)

Jesus is His name..

In Psalm 23, our Lord is our shepherd, caring for His sheep and in Psalm 24, He is proclaimed as our King of glory..beyond what we could fathom, coming to rescue, open the gates, open the doors.

Lord, give me clean hands washed by your blood, give me a pure heart I pray...I am far from it... I lift up my head and open all that I would shut you out from.

I can stand in your holy place, by your righteousness given to me...that I do not give my emotions, thoughts, desires to that which is false. That which would promise safety, contentment, companionship and give only hollowness and longing. Any THOUGHT of something that woul dhelp us other than Jesus.

What do we make King or Lord? What do you? What is that thing or things, that if ___________...then all would be good, ok, right? I saw, this week, in a bible study I am doing that had this verse as one to ponder and pray, that, although I had no hope of it occuring, I held the desire..can't even say desire, as a desire without hope loses fuel and passion. so more a thought of " if only he could have...." ...that thought of a godly husband and father to my children that I don't have, that they don't have...if only that..." that is my false soulish desire.

That I think that would make it all ok. I would trade a thought of that...since I believe it is impossible, but a thought that that is what is missing, I would trade that false thought for the King of glory which I truly have?

He is my King of glory, Him alone, he is strong and mighty, mighty in my battles.
I open up all the gates and doors of my life, to my King. My future, my present, my burdens, my responsibilities, my unknown, my flaws, and my joy and laughter and my children...all open ...King of glory, come in.... My king...melek kabod...my ish.

Today I took the kids to see Prince Caspian. Ah.... Aslan, so often felt distant, not involved, did not ride in when and how we thought He should. But come He does.

At dinner afterwards, I was sad. Nicholas told me in the last book, Susan, one of the four children and rulers of Narnia, does not believe in the end, and does not enter into the New Narnia. That made me so sad.

Sitting at the dinner table, with mouths full and forks posed, my eyes were brimming with tears. Nick said, I should not have told you that, you are about to cry. I looked each of mine in the eye, and said, You must promise me, you will keep the faith, no matter what. No matter how old you are. I will be in heaven and waiting for you, once I die, and you must keep the faith!

We will they said. I sat a moment, and then one by one, I looked them in the eye.
"Tadpole, tell me, promise me, you will keep the faith."
"I will keep the faith".
"Nicholas, tell me. "
"I will keep the faith."
"Mary",
"I will"
"We will explain this to Olivia when she is here."
Tadpole says, "Bella, you will keep the faith. " :)

"And you must teach your children this."
Nick: "And if we live long enough, our grandchildren."
"yes!. And God says He will bless to 1000 generations, that means grandchildren of grandchildren of grandchildren....to 1000 times..those who love the Lord."

And Nick says, "and you too mom"

"Yes, I will keep the faith."

King of Glory, come in.

Alone....

I will never leave you or forsake you...

I know.

I have a house full of kids....

I know.

I have friends I could call, and who would probably answer...I think.

I know.

I have parents who love me and would do anything they are able to for me and mine.

I know.

....

....

I feel alone.